Deep within the tunnels, far beyond the cavern where the battle had just ended, something shifted.
The vibrations of the fight had travelled through the stone… and something had heard them.
Rumble! The tunnel rumbled as an entity stirred.
As if that wasn't enough, deeper within another tunnel the same event occurred.
Rumble! The tunnel rumbled as another entity stirred.
And then another.
Rumble!
And another.
Crumble!
Within seconds numerous beings began stirring, all awakened by the smell of the same thing—battle! But if that was all, the beasts wouldn't have cared to make a move, not until it reached their territory. Beneath the smell of battle, something else was also calling.
Its scent was very subtle, but clearly evident in the air.
One by one they all turned toward a direction.
And then—
Roar!
Screeccchh!
Roaaar!
Screech!
They all started giving commands to their minions.
---
Back within the cavern where Ren and Miyoshi were, the ground rumbled as faint tremors ran through the ground and into Miyoshi's legs. The tremors were too faint to be felt by anyone else, but thanks to Miyoshi's acute senses he caught them. Immediately his facial expression changed and then his legs gave in.
He stumbled, but before he could hit the ground a hand swooped in, catching him mid-fall.
"After all those big talks, huh?" Ren's voice rang out as he helped him onto his feet.
Drawing in sharp breaths, Miyoshi murmured while trying to catch his breath.
"We… need… to leave now!"
"Huh?"
"I said we need to leave! Now!" Miyoshi muttered again, this time louder.
But—
Before he could finish his words the earth trembled again, this time louder—enough for Ren to feel it too.
"Damnit… how are they doing it? Are they really that endless?" Miyoshi muttered in defeat, his tone clearly desperate, like someone who had just seen something truly terrifying.
"It's already too late. I don't think we can leave again," he said, this time addressing Ren.
Helping him to his feet completely, Ren turned while still supporting him as he led him back toward the cave he had been hiding in earlier.
"What's the need of going back there? Our only hope of surviving this is if he—"
"Can you just shut up for a second and follow me?" Ren cursed, cutting Miyoshi's speech short.
Almost as if to prove a point, the rumbling sound grew louder. This time it was fully distinct. The rumbling was the result of a stampede—the rushing sound of many creatures coming in from different tunnels.
And then—
Bang!
The first creature burst in, and like usual it was a lethal-backed crab. Then the rest came bursting in from the same tunnel.
Bags of chitin swarmed into the passage. The swarm kept rushing in, swelling as if they were truly endless.
While rushing forward, Ren couldn't help but turn his head, and behold—he saw it. The swarm rushing in.
Without hesitation he opened his system screen. Scrolling toward the memory tab, he summoned the Crab Warrior Beast Memory.
Amidst sparks the Crab Warrior appeared.
A red tiny creature.
To call it a warrior would be an understatement to warriors because the crab was just too tiny and scrawny. It gave off the impression of a weak fellow, like something that could be crushed with a single foot.
But that was just the first impression it gave, because the next second the scrawny little creature started swelling up.
It ballooned, growing in size until its height was now the same as the ones Miyoshi fought earlier. The only difference being the colour. While the ones Miyoshi fought were black with red stripes, this one instead was fully red—a deep crimson colour from head to toe.
The Crab Warrior gave off a loud screech as its transformation completed.
Now it gave off the aura of a true warrior, and now it was worthy of its name—Crab Warrior.
Without delaying another second Ren gave it a mental command.
Protect the entrance.
His eyes squinted as he recalled something. He paused and then added,
"At all costs."
And then he slipped into the cavern with Miyoshi in tow. Without pause he began walking toward a wall located deeper in the cave.
"Hey! Can you leave me now?"
"Hm?"
"I think I can walk on my own now," Miyoshi said quickly.
"Oh… ok," Ren said as he released his grip on him.
True to his words, Miyoshi was able to stand and walk on his own. His expression was now eased. The beads of sweat clinging to his face were now gone as his exhaustion eased.
Without delay Ren continued forward, heading toward a particular wall.
Seconds later he stood against it.
The cavern wall was just like every other wall—jagged and rough to the touch, embedded with the same blue light crystals.
This must be it. At least this is better than standing around waiting for the crabs to fully swarm us, Ren thought as he turned his gaze toward the wall.
The ordinary appearance of the wall could fool anyone—even Ren—if not for the ability of the Jade Phoenix Carapace.
Earlier when he was fighting with Miyato he had accidentally glanced at the wall, and that was how he discovered the falseness of it.
He raised his hand, gliding across the rough cavern wall as if searching for something. from time to time he would pause, but not until—
Clink!
A faint sound rang out as Ren's hand pressed into a crevice on the wall.
And then—
Rumble!
The wall gave off a faint rumbling sound and began shifting like cogwheels in a machine, rearranging itself.
At long last the rumbling began slowing down, and then—
Clink!
Another clink followed.
And another.
And another.
The clinking sounds continued as the rearranging blocks finally clicked into place. Turning into something magnificent. and then abruptly everything turned silent.
Both the rumbling and the clinking stopped.
In front of Ren a wall now stood.
Across the wall were words written in languages and tongues he was unfamiliar with.
Just staring at it made Ren's head start throbbing.
Almost immediately a notification screen popped up across his vision.
[#&¥^#°§#π#]
[#&¥^#°§#π#]
[Host is advised to lose all contact with the #&¥^#°§#π#]
[Host is advised to lose all contact with the #&¥^#°§#π#]
And then he fell.
A hand reached from behind, gripping him tightly by the shoulder and preventing him from collapsing.
Immediately after the hand grabbed him, a familiar voice followed.
"Close your eyes, kid."
Almost instinctively Ren obeyed, his eyes snapping shut and cutting off his vision.
As soon as he did, the throbbing and spinning he experienced earlier stopped.
What was that? Ren thought after regaining his focus.
"Don't look directly at the text on the wall, no matter what," the familiar voice rang out again, snapping him from his thoughts.
"Is… is that you Miyato?" Ren stuttered.
How is he doing it? Even without his sight he's still able to perceive me. Hmm, this kid is special… but unfortunately I think this is where we split. Maybe in the future we will meet again, Miyato thought.
"Yes. It's me."
He quickly added before Ren could interrupt.
"Listen, and don't ask any questions until I'm done."
"The wall you saw earlier is something only a few people know of.
"You see, the item you acquired earlier is somewhat related to this wall. And this wall is actually a pillar barring us from stepping into a portal that leads somewhere far beyond here.
"And the item you acquired earlier is a key to a place behind that portal."
"I don't know if you are extremely lucky or outright cursed, but for you to randomly find the key, retrieve it so easily, and then also discover one of the drowned portals… that's unheard of since humans first stepped into the Pathway."
"And to top all of that off? Someone as weak as you achieving such a feat."
"Either you are extremely lucky—blessed by Lady Luck herself—or you are really, really cursed by misfortune."
Miyato rubbed his chin.
And then—
Boooommm!
A loud explosion rang out outside the cave.
Then another.
Dust began falling from the cavern ceiling.
"We are running out of time," Miyato said.
"So I will make this quick."
"Attack the pillar with all your strength."
Sensing the urgency behind his words, Ren stepped forward while summoning a sword.
Amidst sparks the lethal-backed sword appeared in his grasp.
Gripping it tightly he settled into a battle stance.
But then he was interrupted.
"Oh, and also—a word of advice."
"Don't hold back anything. Attack with everything you have. Only stop when you are sure your attack strength has reached its peak."
Rumble!
Thud!
Boom!
The noise outside intensified, now very close to the mouth of the cave.
As if to prove a point a notification screen appeared.
Ding!
[Crab Warrior is in a critical state. Unsummon it or risk losing it.]
Ding!
[Crab Warrior is in a critical state. Unsummon it or risk losing it.]
Flushing the distracting screen from his view, Ren turned toward the wall.
Taking a deep breath, Ren thought, his hands trembling.
I guess I will have to do that again.
Without pause another notification appeared.
[Merge Activated]
The Jade Phoenix Carapace activated.
Amid an emerald glow the familiar jade phoenix armor burst forth from his body.
Going with the flow he activated the only ability of the merged class.
[Jade Spirit Activated]
The system screen flashed as Jade Spirit activated.
The veins beneath the feathered plates began lighting up as strength flooded his body.
His senses sharpened.
Then he opened his eyes, looking slightly at the pillar.
Immediately he felt it—the throbbing returning.
But this time the intensity was weaker.
Something is missing, Ren thought.
Then it clicked.
The redness that marks foes when Jade Spirit is activated.
Well, that's not my biggest concern. My concern right now is to strike this pillar with everything I've got, Ren thought as he gripped the sword tighter.
Then he summoned the final memory.
[Lethal-Backed Crab Possession Activated]
[WARNING: Transformation Conflict Detected. Crab Possession…]
Flushing the system screen away, he gripped the sword firmly.
Without delay his blade fell like a guillotine, striking the pillar.
Clank!
The clear ringing sound of steel against steel echoed.
But that wasn't all.
Clank!
Clank!
Clank!
The strikes kept hammering the pillar.
Yet not even a scratch appeared.
Even after the twentieth strike.
"Well… time for the final strike!" Ren shouted.
He raised his sword.
The active skill of the lethal sword activated, producing a faint ringing sound thanks to the accumulated hits.
Gripping the sword tightly with both hands, his muscles bulged and tore due to the conflict between the merged class and beast memory.
Gritting his teeth with everything he had, he swung.
Bang!